Pipe fitting and method of making the same



Margh 15, 1932.

E. s. CORNELL, JR 11,850,049

32 3 Sheets-Sheet l;

Tictl.

Hill' March 15, 1932. E. s. CORNELL, JR I 1,350,049

PIPE FITTING AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed Jan. 29, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN TOR E WARD 5 ..CORNELL,J'R.

HI ORNEY March 15, 1932.

Filed Jan. 29. 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet v 5 ENTOR k\X\&\ 7 5 .15. 36

INV EDWARD S. CORNELL-IR. r 5 HISZJZR Patented Mar. 151932 I u-mreo STATES PATENT OFFICE EDWARD S. CORNELL, JR, LARCHMONT, NEW YORK PIPE FITTING AND METHOD 0] MAKING THE SAME Application filed January 29, 1932. Serial No. 589,595.

My present invention relates to pipe fitmutually telescopingv parts to attain selftings and more particularly to an improved sealing securement. pipe fitting and method of manufacturing An essential feature of my invention as the same. relating-to the improved fitting is that each My invention is particularly directed to individual fitting is derived as a complete 55 T and other metal pipe fittings, the body fitting unit and-is of a form adapted to be of which is provided with a longitudinal secured to a pipe or tube to provide a conpassage and a lateral passage communicattinuous and full-sized flow passage from said ing therewith, which, as. complete elements, pipe or tube to one or more connecting pipes 0 are made from sheet metal by blanking, or tubes. w drawing, folding and/or mechanical steps or A further feature of my invention resides operations to be hereinafter more fully. devin the novel method of forming a pi e fitscribed. ting, such as a T, from a single piece 0 sheet Among the advantages inherent in my metal wherein the thickness of the walls is improved article and the method of making substantially equal at any point of the fitting 55 the same is that of being able to form a and which ordinarily, and preferably, is tubular fitting such as a T to have its branch manufactured of material identical with the connector of sufficient length to provide material of the piping to be associated therev proper security by sweating, soldering or with.

brazing a pipe, or tube thereto which it is A still further feature of my invention is 10 impossible to make from a drawn pipe or the improved method of making a pipe fittube, as well as the low cost of production of ting from a single sheet of wrought metal, the individual fitting element, the utilizasuch as sheet copper, in which the length of tion of the element as a complete unit by the the lateral is of ample length to rovide a plumber or other installer, the avoidance of, suificient contact area with the pipe to be. punching, reaming and/or other mechanical fitted therewith to rigidly support the same operations on the wall of a pipe or tube for and have a sweat'joint ofsuflicient area to forming a branch or other joint, etc., and positively insure against leakage due to any particularly the adaptability of fittings empressure within the safe limits of the pipe bodying my invention with the use of solderand fitting. ing, brazing, or other securing means or ma- Further features and objects of the inventerials. tion will be more fully understood from the Preferably, my T is formed of sheet metal following detailed description and the acof the thickness of the magnitude of several colnpanying drawings.

hundredths of an inch to provide suflicient In carrying out my invention, I take a rec- '5 strength against puncture or other rupture, tangular sheet of metal, such as wrought but preferably of insufl'icient thickness for sheet copper of appropriate thickness and forming a thread or like sealing joint. form therein on one face thereof a projection The securement by sweating, soldering, which is to ultimately form the lateral and 40 and/or brazing of the various forms of my simultaneously form a semi-cylindrical profitting to one or more pipes or tubes is had jection on each sideof thecentral projection, by either exterior. or interior telescopic resuch semi-circular projections extending lation therewith, the mutually telescoping from the central projection to the respective parts being dimensioned to provide. a suffi opposite edges of the sheet, and the two pro- 45 ciently snug fit with a minute clearance to jections on each side of the central projeceffect the capillary or other surface flow of tion are substantially in alignment with each the securing medium during the stage of other. By this method of procedure, I am heating of the mutually telescoping parts enabled to draw from the sheet of metal, and and to entrap the congealed securing mediby succeeding operations, a lateral longer" 60 um upon cooling of such medium and of the than has heretofore been possible in this art.

After the series of drawing operations have been performed on the sheet of metal, there is formed on one face thereof, not only the lateral projection, butalso one-half of the body and one half of the end members, and after this is done the succeeding operations are utilized to form the other half of the body and end members and bring the edges thereof to ether to form the complete fitting.

a y present application is a continuation in part of my copending applications, Serial No. 555,032, filed August 4, 1931,-entitled Sheet metal pipe fittings, and Serial No. 555,033, filed August 4, 1931, entitled Method and production of sheet metal pipe fittings.

In the accompanying drawings; Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly broken away, of a pipe fitting, such as a T, embodymg my invention;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a blank of sheetmetal from which thepipe fitting in Figs. 1 and 2 is'made;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the blank shown in Fig. 3 after the first step in the process of forming the pipe fitting has been carried out;

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation on the line 55 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation on the line 66 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the blank after thesecond step in the process has been performed thereon;

Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation on the line 8.8 of Fig. 7, and designed to illustrate the diameter andheight of the lateral projection being formed on the blank illustrated originally in Fig. 3;

Fig. 9 is a sectional elevation on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7, but showing the increased.

lengthand reduced diameter of the projection formed on the blank after the third step in the process has been performed thereon.

Fig. 10 is asectional. elevation on the line 88' of Fig. 7 and similar to Fig. 9, but showing the central portion of the end of the lateral projection blanked out in the fourth step in the operation of forming the pipe fitting;

Fi .-11 is a view also onthe line 8-8 of Fig. showing the further increase in height. and the further decrease in the diameter ofthe lateral projection formed on the sheet of metal after the fifth step of the process has been performed thereon;

Fig. 12 is a plan view of the sheet of metal shown in Fig. 11, and illustrates the sixth step or the step of trimmin the sheet of metal to regular rectangular s ape, reparatory to completing the fitting to made therefrom; Fig. 13 illustrates the seventh step in the improved process of formirgg plipe fitting from a single sheet of met owing the member 11 with the body 10 is sheet as trimmed in Fig. 12 and in position on a combined punch and die, and showing the position thereof'in the die preparatory to' performing the step of trimming the end of the projection and forming the trimmed end into a tubular member to add to the length of the lateral projection;

I Fig. 14 is a view similar toFig. 13 showing tion formed in a sheet of metal and also showing the step of bending the edges of the skirt Fig 16 is a sectional side elevation of a blank in position in a forming die showing the step of bending the skirts of the blank into approximately cylindrical form and also the step of forming the stop element in the longitudinal end members;

Fig. 17 is an end view of Fig. 16;

Fig. 18 is an end view of the pipe fitting in position in closing dies, preparatory to enclosin the bent skirt edges in a grooved member;

ig. 19 is a perspective view of the grooved, bent-end enclosing member;

Fig. 20 is an end view of a portion of the pipe fitting showing the enclosing grooved member in position, and

Fig. .21 illustrates a die and a punch for compacting the enclosing member and the nt-over skirt edges into substantially a unitary structure.

so v

Referring to the drawings, there is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 a T pipe fitting, which is illustrative of my invention and which has been manufactured according to my improved process. This T comprises a body 10 pro,

vided with a longitudinal passage and with a lateral passage extending outwardly therefrom and at an angle thereto. .At the ends of the body in alignment with each other and in alignment with the longitudinal axis of the body are end members 11 which are, of

course, formed integral with the body 10.

The body 10 and endmembers 11 are formed from the same sheet of metal. adjacent the edges thereof is bent over as The material indicated at 12 in Fig. 2 and such bent-over I portion is enclosed between the folds of a grooved member 13 and the metal of the folds 12 and grooved member 13 are compacted together to form a sealed joint at the meeting edges of the skirting of thesheet of metal composing the body 10 and ends 11.

Adjacent to the junction of each end a stop. 14, preferably formed in the metal itself, which as shown, may be in the form of an extension on the interior of the longitudinal bore to act as a stop for a pipe which is to fit within the end members 11. Formed integral with the body 10 at the end of the lateral passage is a neck member 15, there being provided at the junction of such neck member with the b'ody'an annulargroove 16 which, in the form shown, results in'a circular inwardly extending stop disposed on the in terior of the neck member 15. Or the stop 16 may be in the form of an outwardly-extending ring or other like annular member to serve as a stop for pipes designed to fit over the exterior of the neck member 15.

The entire structure shown in Fig. 1 is formed pf a single sheet of wrought metal in the manner to be hereinafter described and it will be noted from an inspection of Figs. 1 and 2 that the length of the neck member 15 may be less than, exceed, or may be equal to that of the end members 11 to thereby insure suflicient soldered or sweated connecting area between the 'neck member 15 and the pipe or tube with which it is to be associated.

The improved process by which the pipe fitting illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, and above described, is manufactured has its various steps illustrated in the remaining figures of the drawings and in which Fig. 3 shows a blank 17 of wrought sheet metal such as sheet copper of any desired dimensions as regards length and breadth. The blank 10 is placed in a press andsubjected to an operation to form therein on one side thereof, and preferably simultaneously, a central projection 18 and arcuate projections 19 and 20, which arcuate projections are in alignment with each other and which merge into the the arcuate'projections 19 in diameter t projection 18, such aligned arcuate projections 19 and 20 extending tromopposite sides of the projection 18 and extending outward to opposite edges of the blank 17. Preferably, for convenience, forming the projection 18 and arcuate projections 19 and 20 are performed simultane-' ously. The blank 17, as illustrated in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, is now subjected to other bending and forming operations, preferably also simultaneously, for the purpose of enlarging the size of the arcuate projections 19 and 20 and for extending the length of the projection 18, while simultaneously reducing the diameter of projection 18. Fig. 8 is asection on the line 88 of Fig. 7 and shows the increase in length. of the projection 18 as well as the decrease in the diameter thereof as compared with the like showing in Fig. 6, for example. The increase in the size of and 20 and the height of the roj ection 18 and the reduction hereof is further carried out by an additional step as illustrated in Fig. 9, where the results of such steps will be clearly apparent upon comparison with the showing in Fig. maximum results that may be obtained from this method of procedure and Fig. 10,illusthe operations 0t Fig. 9 shows the practicaltrates the structure of Fig. 9, after being subjected to a further operation of cutting out. a circular blank 21 from the closed end, i. e. top of the projection 18 and preparatory to utilizing the metal in the end of such blank 18, as a means for further extending the length thereof. The blankv as now appearing in Fig.

10 is subjected to a further operation of reducing the diameter ofthe central projection 18 while considerably extending the length thereof, it'being noted that the hole formed edges of the blank 18 to restore the same to I substantially rectangular form, this-step being shown'in Fig.12, where the portion ly- 8 between the full outline and the dot and dash outline 22 is the portion-removed. Referring to Fig. 11, it will be noted that the arcuate portion 19 and, therefore, necessarily the-arcuate portion 20 is now practically of semi-cylindrical form and as the diameter of the central projection 18 is substantially that of the desired finished diameter, it will I be noted that the joining portion of the projection 18 with the now semi-cylindrical pro- I jections 19 and 20 terminates at a point to define a skirt in the blank 17 on each side of the aligned semi-cylindrical projections I 19 and 20.

Referring now to Flg. 13, there is shown a press device consist-ingot a stationary member 23, provided with a cylindrical cutting,

edge 24 at its upper end and with a rounded outer end 24a. This stationary member 23 is associated with a spring-pressed base 25 and over the member 23 and resting on'the springmember 25 is a blank 17 processed as shown in Fig. 11 and trimmed as shown in Fig. 12. The outer diameter of the member 28 at its upper end is slightly less than the desired finished internal diameter of the central projection 18 and which is to result in the neck member 15 as shown in Figs. 1 and- 2, in the finished article. Slidably mounted with respect to the stationary member 23 is a hollow member 26 provided with a cylindrical chamber 27 which encloses the upper end of thestationary member 23 and the projection 18 mounted thereon. Extending into the cylindrical chamber 27 and forming part of the member 26is a cutting punch 28 whichv cooperates with the cutting edge 24 of the member 23 to remove surplus material from the hole formed in the member 18by removal of the blank 21 as illustrated in Fig. 10. The lower end of the member 26 engages with the blank '17 and forces the same downward against the yielding effect of the member 25. In this downward movement, the cutting punch 28 first blanks out the surplus metal at the upper end of the projection 18 and continued downward movement causes the ends of the members 26 to engage with the blank 17, which is forceddownwardly and into the position shown in Fig. 14. where it will be noted that the major portion of the round end of the projection 18 is now incorporated in the length of the projection 18 and further it will be obvious that the outer diameter of the projection 18 is now slightly smaller than the desired outer diameter of such projection. This reduction in the diameter of the central projection 18 below the desired finished size is done to provide for a subsequent operation. The operation as de scribed with regard toiFigs. 13 and 14 is known as a barring operation and-in such operation, there is invariably thrown up in the resulting cylindrical member at the added end thereto and formed from the rounded portion of the projection 18 into a cylindrical portion, a groove 29 011 the interior of the projection 18. The groove 29 is, therefore, removed by forcin the projection 18 over a mandrel 30 f the desired internal size of the projection 18 while holding the projection 18 on the outside in asleeve 31 and simultaneously with such operation there is formed on the skirt of the blank 17 arcuate portions 32, such arcuate portions being on a'radius equal to the radius of the semicylindrical projections 19 and 20. (See Fig. 15.) The semi cylindrical projections 19 and and the skirts 33 are connected through the reverse groove 33 in such blank 17. Also simultaneously with the formation of the arcuate portions 32, there is formed adjacent the edge 'of each of the skirts a bent-out portion 34 which latter are to form means for receiving a grooving holding member. The

.' blank 17. processed to the form shown in Fig. 15 is nowsubjected to a further forming operation in which stop members 35 arev formed at the junction point of the'semicylindrical projections 19 and 20 with the body of the fitting. Fig. 17 shows an end view of Fig. 16 and is self-explanatory, it being, noted that the bent portions 34 in the skirts of the blank 17 are now approaching til) each other and that the reverse curved portions 33'have been practically straightened out, resulting in the arcuate portions 32 being moved toward each other and defining substantially a circular passage. The circular passage is further and definitely defined by' subjecting the blank to a further pressing operation, as shown in Fig. 18,'where it will be noted that the bent-over portions 3e are brought into practical engagement with each other and that the straight portions 33 .are

ironed out until a, completely circular, tubv member to a stop located therein.

lar member is formed. In Fig. 19 is shown in perspective a grooved holding member 36 which is now slipped over the bent-over portions 34 as shown in Fig. 20, after which the article is placed in a press on a mandrel 37 (see Fig. 21) and held on suchmandrel by jaws 38 which act 'as'side holding members for the grooved member 36 and which provide a vertical passage or uideway for-a plunger 39 which moving ownward compresses the metal of the grooved member 36, the bent portions 34, and the body of the blank 17 into a compact mass and it'has been found that this mass is compacted to the extent that there is practically a cold weld be tween the metals comprising the grooved member 36 and the blank 17 The above described step'and the resulting. compacted-welded joint is described in detail and is specifically claimed in my copending application, Serial No. 584,021, filed December 31, 1931, and entitled Process of forming sheet metal pipe fittings and resulting product.

From the above, it will appear that a T or like fitting embodying my invention comprises a body'having a longitudinally extending passage, one opening of such longitudinal passage communicates with one hollow end member, the opposite opening of which communicates with the opposite hollow end member, the body further has a passage extending laterally of the longitudinally-extending passage, the opening of the lat erally-extending papsage communicating with the hollow. neck member.

It will be further observed that the dimen sion of the hollow neck member is of relatively great length to afford rigid securementextends from the edge of the hollow neckmember to a stop located substantially coim. cident with the junction of the lateral passage and the longitudinal passage through the body. Similarly, assuming also the end 'of a pipe orpipe fitting to be telescoped internally relatively to each .of the hollow end members; each end member is provided internally with a smooth face, which extends inwardly from the edge of the hollow end Without ,limiting the scope of my invention I- cite the following specific embodi-.

ments of commercial forms of my T construction, assuming the longitudinal end-,.mem'- bers and the neck member to be of the-same diameters prises subjecting a substantially fiat sheet of 1,850,049 F t eousl di 'shin 'ts diameter and also 3552233; 15. fi c irizigr fizii 533 3 $12??? iii c reasiri tl i e ie xteni 'alnd diameter of said T gg g 7%" ,3,1, blagl k ag outer pro ections from the respective op osite 3 1 1 f edges, the above operations being e ected i i 1 i i while maintaining substantially the thickness i i 4 i i of the-metal throughout the sheet, and then Alinch /8 i /8 i i finishing the sheet to the .form of the pipe 1 ll'lCll 1 lnch 1- mch .050 inch fitting Y 1 inch 1- inch 1%; inch .055 inch 3 h im d th (1 f prove me 0 o ormmgapipe 1 inch 1 mch 1 1nch .060 mch L 1 2 inch E inch 3% n .070 inch ittlng havmg a longl udina passage and a In the above stated, and other commercial embodiments of my invention,-and as is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the smooth faces of the hollow neck member, and the two end members, respectively, to which the sweated, soldered or brazed connections are made are of substantially uniform bore or diameter, whether the connection is made telescopically internally or externally, the bore or diameter of each such smooth face being dimensioned to provide fora clearance of proper magnitude for attaining capillary and/or surface flow of the bonding medium.

Whereas I have described my invention by reference to specific forms thereof, it will be understood that various changes or modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim: v

1. The improved method of forming a pipe fitting having a longitudinal passage and a transverse passage in its body which comwrought metal to a series of drawing operations to form on one face thereof three projections substantially in alignment, the two outer of said projections being of substantially semi-cylindrical configuration, said outer projections extending respectively substan- 1 tially to opposite edges of the sheet, then elongating the central one of said projections while simultaneously 'diminishing its crosssectional areaand also lncreasmg the extent.

- of said outer projections from the respective opposite edges,'t he above operations being eflected whlle maintaining substantially the V thickness of the metal throughout the sheet,

and then finishing the sheetto the form of the pipe fitting.

2. The improved method of forming a pipe fitting having a longitudinal passage and a transverse passage in its body which comprises subjecting a substantially flat sheet of wrought metal to drawing operations to form on one face thereof three projections substantially in alignment, the central one of said projections being of substantially full cylindrical form, the two outer of said projections being of substantially semi-cylindrical configuration, said outer projections extending respectively substantially to oppo-' site edgesof the sheet, then elongating. the central one of said projections'while simul transverse passage in 1ts body whlch comprises subjecting a substantially flat sheet of wrought metal to drawing operations to form .on one face thereof three projections substantially'in alignment, the central one of said projections being of substantially full cylindrical form, the two outer of said projections being of substantially semi-cylindrical configuration, said outer projections extending respectively substantially to opposite edges of the sheet, thenelongating the central one of said projections while simultaneously diminishing its diameter and also increasing the extent and diameter of said outer projections from the respective opposite edges, repeatingthe operations of elongation of and of reduction of diameter of the central projection and simultanously increasing the length and the diameter of the two outer prorises subjecting a substantially flat sheet ofwrought metal' to drawing operations to form on one face thereof three projections substantially in alignment, punching out the top of the central projection on an outline less than its full diameter and increasing the length cally extending the thus uncut annular metal of the top, the two outer of said pro ectlons being of substantially semi-cylindrical configuration, said outer projections extending *respectively subst'antiall to opposite-edges of the sheet, then elongating'the-central one of said projections while simultaneously diminishing its cross-sectional area and also increasing the extent of said outer projections from the respective opposite edges, and then expanding the central projection to finished size, the above operations being effected while of the central projection by cylindrimaintaining substantially the thickness of the metal'throughout the sheet, and then finish-v ing the sheet to theform of the pipe fitting.

5. The improved method of forming a pipe fitting having a longitudinal passage and a transverse passage in its bod which comprises subjecting a substantially t sheet to drawing operations to of wrought metal I thereof three projections form on. 'one f ce respectively substantially to opposite edges of the sheet, then elongating the central one of said projections while simultaneously diminishing its cross-sectional area to bring its diameter smaller than the desired finished size, and also increasing the extent of said outer prpjections fromthe respective opposite edges, and then expanding the central.

= neck member being d fintegral wrought metal projection'to'finished size, the above operation being eifected while maintaining sub-,

stantially the thickness of the metal throughout the sheet, and then finishing the sheet-to the form of the pipefitting.

\ 6, A threadless pipe fitting comprising a body having a passage extending longitudinally therethrough, hollow end members at each end opening of the longitudinal pasj spec fication t 1s 25thday of January, 1932.

sage and in substantial alignment with each other and with the longitudinal passage, and

a relatively long hollow neck member communicating at its inner end with said longitudinal passage, said body and said hollow i 8; A threadless pipe fitting comprising a body having a passage extending longitudinally therethrough, hollow end members at each end opening of the longitudinal passage and in substantial ali other and with the longitu inal passage, and a relatively long hollow neck member communicating at its inner end with said longitudinal passage, said body and said hollow neck member being of integral wrought metal of substantially uniform and relatively small ment with each dimensioned wall thickness, said hollow neck member having a' length substantially equal to each of said hollow end members, said hollow end members and said hollow neck member each having a substantially smooth face to afl'ord a rigid sweated telescoped connection with the end of a pipe or pipe fitting, each of said smooth faces having a substantially uniform diameter substantially throughout its area, and a bead at each of the smooth faces serving as a stop for limiting the toward movement of the end of such pipe or pipe fitting relative to the body.

In testimon whereof I have signed this EDWARD s. CORNELL, JR.

neck member being of integral wrought metal c of substantially uniform and relatively small dimensioned wall thickness, and said hollow neck member having a length substantially equal to each hollow end member, said neck member having a substantially smooth face of substantially uniform diameter substan- .tially' throughout the area of said smooth face to afford a rigid sweated telescoped connection with an endof a pipe or pipe fitting. v a

7 A threadless body having a passage extending longitudi nally therethrough, hollow end members at each end opening of the longitudinal passage and in substantial alignment with each otherv and vwith the longitudinal passage,

a relatively long hollow neck member com-' municating at itsinner endwith said longitudinal passage, said body and said hollow of substantially uniform and relatively small dimensioned wall thickness, said hollow neck member having a length substantially equal to each of said hollow end members, said neck member having a substantially smooth face of substantially uniform diameter substantially throughout the area of said smooth ting, and a bead disposed on said'smooth face of said neck member serving as a stop for limiting the-toward movement of the end of such pi e or said neck mem r.

pipe fitting comprising a pipe fitting relative to 

